Waving Canadian flag on two-way street of trade
Opinion
I gave up my Friday night pizza dates with Tom Gore around the same time Donald Trump started his trade war with Canada.
It was a forced breakup, but I didn't mind. Tom was my favourite wine until it was pulled from liquor store shelves as part of the federal and provincial governments' response to the imposition of tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada.
There's been so much background noise in the aftermath that it's been hard to keep track. All I know is Tom and all his California cohorts are still in exile, and the alternatives I've found are such that I don't miss them.
Apparently, I'm not alone. Sales of U.S. wine to Canada are, by some accounts, down 94 per cent, and sales of Canadian alcoholic beverages are up, probably the most noticeable effect of our collective disenchantment with our largest trading partner.
An Angus Reid poll released in the early days of this muddled trading mess showed four out of five Canadians were buying more Canadian products in the face of the Trump's tariff tactics. Three out of five said they were actively boycotting products from the U.S.
However, these opinions were collected in February, around the same time it was still cool to boo the American anthem at hockey games.
Thankfully, we've moved on from that. It's likely Canada's aversion to anything American will also start to dissipate now that Trump's attention has shifted from making Canada the 51st state to other matters.
However, an Ipsos poll released this month shows the aversion to buying U.S.-made goods has gone global. Fewer than half of respondents from 29 countries say they are likely to buy something manufactured in the U.S. According to that poll, 63 per cent of Canadians say they are unlikely to buy anything American.
Food and beverages top the list of consumer goods where shoppers can vote with their dollars, thumbing their nose at Trump every time they stock up.
Considering all this, it comes as no surprise to anyone — except perhaps the U.S. administration — that the U.S. agricultural trade deficit is growing instead of shrinking as was promised when it turned to taxing imports, kicking out immigrant workers critical to its own food supply and detaining tourists to 'make America great again.'
Release of the USDA quarterly trade report earlier this month was reportedly delayed and stripped of its usual analysis after the original draft's authors cited tariffs and the 'buy Canadian' movement as reasons for reduced demand for U.S. agricultural goods. The redacted report forecasts a US$49.5 billion trade deficit for fiscal year 2025, an increase of US$500 million.
It's living proof it's never a good idea to trash-talk your best customers.
However, that's something we Canadians need to keep in mind as we explore how to navigate the tangled trade environment we face for the foreseeable future.
It's always a good idea to shop local when you can. Even if it costs a little more, supporting local suppliers and businesses circulates our hard-earned dollars in our communities, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth. Our farmers no doubt appreciate the moral and financial support.
Yet one of Canada's defining strengths as a nation is its status as a global supplier of food commodities. More than 50 per cent of what farmers here grow is exported either directly or indirectly.
The U.S. is still our largest trading partner. More than half of Canada's agri-food imports originate in the U.S., while 60 per cent of Canada's agri-food exports are U.S.-bound. The food industries in both countries count on that cross-border trade.
For that reason, the export-orientated sectors have steadfastly maintained support for rules-based trade and opposition to policy that unduly protects access to domestic markets. Trade must be a two-way street.
As Canada Day approaches, waving the flag and putting Canadian foods on the table is a meaningful expression of our national pride. Our collective individual actions do make a difference.
But does supporting local equate with boycotting someone else? It's a choice we all need to make.
Laura Rance is executive editor, production content lead for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com
Laura RanceColumnist
Laura Rance is editorial director at Farm Business Communications.
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